Sports History Network

In 1956, boxer Rocky Marciano retired as the only undefeated heavyweight champ.

In 1960, the Minneapolis Lakers got the go ahead to move to Los Angeles after concessions were made.

In 1983, Nolan Ryan passed Walter Johnson on the all-time strikeouts list.

In 1947, MLB celebrated Babe Ruth day at every ballpark in the league.

And in today’s ‘nothing to do with sports’ fun fact … On April 27, 1792, Captain George Vancouver sailed past what is now Ocean Shores, Washington and did not stop. The non-event is still celebrated in Ocean Shores. At midnight, folks gather on the shore, wave and shout 'Hey George.'

In 1983, the Baltimore Colts drafted John Elway with the top pick of the NFL draft, despite his warning to not select him.

In 1931, New York Yankee Lou Gehrig hit a home run but passed a baserunner on his trip around the bases. That erased the HR which would eventually leave him tied for the Major League lead at the end of the season.

In 2006, Kobe Bryant decided to change his number from 8 to 24.

In 2006, minor league baseball player Nigel Thatch was traded to the Fullerton Flyers in exchange for 60 cases of Budweiser. Thatch was not only a player but also an actor who played 'Leon' in a series of Budweiser commercials.

The Pro Football Time Machine is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.

EPISODE SUMMARY

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THE PRO FOOTBALL TIME MACHINE BACKGROUND

PRO FOOTBALL TIME MACHINE WEB PAGE

Every two weeks, you’ll take a trip with me and Zo-Zo the cat to discover events and people who contributed, each in their own way, to building a league that has become the king of professional sports. Sometimes we will visit an event or star player, but to hopefully bring to light something that has always flown under the radar that is an important part of their story.

More often though, we’ll find events and people who’ve been missed by documentaries and books but have stories that need telling. Those are the destinations that are the most fun to discover.

Join me, Tom Pollin, and Zo-Zo the cat as we have fun on our journeys.

HOST - TOM POLLIN BIO

I grew up in the Chicagoland area, Waukegan to be specific and now make my home in Chicago. I’ve been a fan of football, and the Chicago Bears, since I first became aware of the existence of both. Of course, in those years the Bears dwelled at the bottom of the NFL standings but I grew to love the team more as I began to read everything about their storied history that I could get my hands on.

The diving into the Bears history spread into a need to know more about the NFL from the times before its birth, through its formation and growing pains, to the present day.

Writing and talking about pro football history is a labor of love for me. Since I began writing about the NFL in 2011, I’ve written hundreds of articles on teams, games and opinion pieces but the pieces I’ve written about teams, games and players gone by have been the most satisfying of the work I’ve published.

In 1950, the Boston Celtics drafted Chuck Cooper with the 13th overall pick, making him the first black player drafted to play in the NBA.

In 1978, the Phillie Phanatic made its debut.

In 1974, the NFL decided to move the goalposts to the back of the endzone and adopted an sudden death overtime format.

In 2016, Tom Brady's 4-game suspension for deflategate was reinstated by the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals.

In 2003, Portland Trailblazers head coach Mo Cheeks stepped in to assist the National Anthem singer when she started to falter.

In 1962 Harry Chiti became the first major league player traded for himself.

In 1963, the Boston Celtics beat the LA Lakers to win their fifth straight NBA Championship. It was Bob Cousy's final game as a Celtic.

In 2004, the San Diego Chargers picked Eli Manning with the top overall pick despite Eli pleading with them to not select him.

In 1927, golfer Bobby Jones holed his first ace on a 173 yard par 3 at East Lake Country Club in Atlanta.

In 1945, Happy Chandler was named the new commissioner of Major League Baseball.

In 1901, the American League debuted with the Chicago White Stockings beating the Cleveland Blues 8-2.

Gridiron America Radio is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.

EPISODE SUMMARY

For our 50th episode we begin the new weekly show, Gridiron America Today, where we talk about, well, all things football. In this episode, in which we are still very much trying to get our sea legs, we take a look at where the UFL is at after four weeks and see where it stands ratings and attendance wise, talk about the upcoming NFL draft, and lastly about Greg's new proposed project for the Sports History Network, the "What if?" project. Specifically, beginning with his simulation of a trade in 1978 by the Oilers and Cowboys, in which Earl Campbell is sent to Dallas in exchange for a massive amount of high first and second round picks, Greg attempts to see if he can start a butterfly effect. In this case, the hypothesis is that the addition of Earl Campbell to the Cowboy backfield will create a thunder and lightening effect with Tony Dorsett and result in Dallas winning Super Bowl XIII and thus become the Team of the '70s. For the results of this simulation check out our website at www.gridironamerica.net.

GRIDIRON AMERICA RADIO BACKGROUND

Gridiron America Radio (formerly, the From the 55 Yardline podcast), is anchored by former sports executive David Cieslinski, former international professional football player Mike Tackett, and football nerd Greg St. James, from Gridiron Japan Radio.

All three are avid armchair sports historians and sports simulation enthusiasts, who, despite the vastness of geography, have found a way to leverage technology to help keep the games they love truly alive, both on the screen or tabletop.

Gridiron America Radio is dedicated to both current and historical American football talk, including the “what if” questions that all sports fans ask and try to answer with the help of statistics, math and computer modeling provided by Sportsmaster Simulation Games www.SportsMaster-Simulation.games. In addition to the gridiron game, the team will on occasion look at other sports through the same eyes of that of grown men who still remember their childhood and the thrill of rolling the dice or picking up a joystick.

The show was previously co-hosted by retired sports journalist Scott Adamson, whose continued writings. sports coverage and articles can be found at www.Adamsonmedia.com.

David, Mike and Greg, can be contacted directly via the podcast’s website at www.GridironAmerica.net, as well as:

On X at https://x.com/GridironAMRadio

On Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GridironAmerica/

On Threads at https://www.threads.com/@gridironamerica

On Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/gridironamerica

In 1969, LA Laker Jerry West scored 53 and dished 11 assists to lift the Lakers to the win in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. A picture taken that night soon became the inspiration for the NBA logo.

In 1999, Fernando Tatis, Sr hit a pair of grand slams in the same inning, the first and only to do it.

In 1976, Harry Caray entertained a Chicago crowd with the singing of 'Take me out to the ballgame,' though he never intended to do so.

In 1964, Houston pitcher Ken Johnson became the first and only MLB pitcher to throw a 9-inning no-hitter and lose.

In 1876 the first major league baseball game was played between the Boston Red Caps in Philadelphia Athletics.

In 1947, the first championship series of the new Basketball Association of America with the Philadelphia Warriors beating the Chicago Stags.

In 1982, the Atlanta Braves lost for the first time after setting the MLB record with 13 straight wins to start the season.

In 1969, Robin Knox-Johnston became the only sailor of 9 who started to finish the first Golden Globe Yacht race, a solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the globe.

The paramount focus of this discourse revolves around the intricate dynamics associated with being the number one pick in the NFL draft, a selection that bears the weight of immense expectations and the potential to shape the destiny of franchises. Throughout this episode, we delve into the historical ramifications of such pivotal choices, illustrating how they can either culminate in the establishment of dynasties, akin to the formidable Steelers of the 1970s led by Terry Bradshaw, or result in cautionary tales that haunt organizations for years. We engage in a thorough examination of notable figures who have occupied this illustrious position, assessing their contributions, successes, and failures within the league. In doing so, we illuminate the profound pressures that accompany the role of being the face of not only a franchise but also the broader league itself. Join us as we reflect on these narratives, including the recent analysis of the impending draft selections and their potential to alter the course of their respective teams.

Don't forget to check out and subscribe to the Pigskin Dispatch YouTube channel for additional content and the regular Football History Minute Shorts.

Miss our football by the day of the year podcasts, well, don't, because they can still be found at the Pigskin Dispatch website.

Do you want more football history? Test your Gridiron Knowledge, we feed you Daily with our new FREE activity, The Pigskin Trivia Drive.

Grab a copy of our latest book, "Marooned," on the 1925 Pottsville Maroons NFL franchise saga.

*OR* Grab a copy of our book on Western Pennsylvania football history, "World's Greatest Gridiron Team" on the 1903 Franklin All-Stars

Drop us a line at PigskinDispatch@gmail .com and check out and subscribe to the Pigskin Dispatch YouTube channel.

Contact us directly at [email protected]

Miss our football by the day of the year podcasts, well, don't because they can still be found at the Pigskin Dispatch website.

Not all Olympic heroes win the gold. In fact, there are so many heroes who never stepped onto the medal podium. On this episode of Sports' Forgotten Heroes, we're going to look back at some very unique heroes from several past Olympics, summer and winter. We shine a spotlight on a different kind of greatness—the kind that doesn’t always come with gold medals or headline recognition. Joining me on this episode is Doug Levy, whose new book, "Hero Redefined – Profiles of Olympic Athletes Under the Radar," uncovers the powerful, often overlooked stories of Olympians who defined heroism in ways that go far beyond the podium. From unimaginable perseverance to acts of selflessness and quiet courage, these are the stories that deserve to be told—and remembered. Doug also hosts the podcast, "Under the Radar, Olympic Athletes You Gotta Meet," where he continues his mission of bringing these incredible athletes and their journeys to light. In this episode, we dive into: • What truly defines a “hero” in sports • The stories that stayed with Doug long after the research ended • Why some of the most impactful Olympic moments are the ones we’ve forgotten • And how these athletes changed the way he—and now we—see competition, sacrifice, and legacy We concentrate heavily on Peter Norman from Australia, who stood on the medal podium in 1968 in Mexico City with Tommie Smith and John Carlos. We discuss Manteo Mitchell from the U.S., who competed with a broken fibula at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Alexander Cushing, who didn't compete but was instrumental in bringing the 1960 Winter Olympics to Squaw Valley, California. And we also talk about the incredible heroism of Lawrence Lemieux of Canada, who was disqualified from his race in the 1988 Seoul, South Korea, Games, when he veered off course to rescue a fellow sailor. Plus, we touch upon a few others as well. On this episode of Sports' Forgotten Heroes, Doug Levy the author of the book, "Hero Redefined: Profiles of Olympic Athletes Under the Radar," joins the podcast for a wonderful discussion about olympic athletes time has forgotten.